Helleborus plant named &#39;et epb 731&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘ET EPB 731’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; continuous and freely flowering habit; relatively large light pink and purplish red bi-colored flowers that are held above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus orientalis X Helleborus ericsmithii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ET EPB 731’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Assignee, Eternal Plant Boijl B.V. of Boijl, The Netherlands on Nov. 23, 2021, application number 2021/3003. Foreign priority is claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus orientalis X Helleborus ericsmithii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ET EPB 731’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Boijl, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Helleborus plants with strong peduncles that hold attractive flowers above the foliar plane.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in Boijl, The Netherlands in February, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Helleborus orientalis identified as code number 314A, as the female, or seed, parent, not patented, with a proprietary selection of Helleborus ericsmithii identified as code number 989A, as the male, or pollen, parent, not patented. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boijl, The Netherlands in February, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by meristem culture in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boijl, The Netherlands since May, 2018, has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype of the new Helleborus plant may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype of the new Helleborus plant.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ET EPB 731’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ET EPB 731’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3 Continuous and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively large light pink and purplish red bi-colored         flowers that are held above the foliar plane on relatively long         peduncles.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus have more durable leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3 Flowers of plants of the new Helleborus are larger than         flowers of plants of the female parent selection.     -   4. Peduncles of plants of the new Helleborus are stronger than         peduncles of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Helleborus are longer than leaves         of plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus flower earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3 Flowers of plants of the new Helleborus are larger than         flowers of plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Peduncles of plants of the new Helleborus are stronger and         thicker than peduncles of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborus x hybridus ‘EPB 29’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,010. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of ‘EPB 29’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are taller and broader than         plants of ‘EPB 29’.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘EPB 29’.     -   3 Flower margins of plants of the new Helleborus are darker         purplish red in color than flower margins of plants of ‘EPB 29’.     -   4. Peduncles of plants of the new Helleborus are longer than         peduncles of plants of ‘EPB 29’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘ET EPB 731’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘ET EPB 731’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in two-liter containers in an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production.

During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 10° C. and night temperatures ranged from -15° C. to 0° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus orientalis X Helleborus     ericsmithii ‘ET EPB 731’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Helleborus             orientalis identified as code number 314A, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Helleborus             ericsmithii identified as code number 989A, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 to 22 days at             temperatures about 5° C. to 10° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 55 to 60             days at temperatures about 12° C. to 15° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, vigorous; typically white to brown             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant             habit with flowers held above the foliar plane; moderately             vigorous to vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm to 55 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Stems.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 146B             densely covered with spots, close to 187B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged alternately in a basal rosette;             leaves palmately compound with three to five leaflets per             leaf.         -   Leaflet length.—About 15 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 7 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Obtuse.         -   Leaflet base.—Acute.         -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; glossy.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; slightly glossy.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             136B; center and near the midvein, marbled with close to             139D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B             slightly tinged with close to 187A. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to 136B marbled with close to 139C to             139D; venation, close to 139C to 139D and proximally, close             to 187A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B             slightly tinged with close to 187A; venation, close to 137B.         -   Petioles.—Length, fully expanded leaves: About 15 cm to             20 cm. Diameter, fully expanded leaves: About 5 mm to 7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A; densely covered             with spots, close to N199A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             loosely branched cymes; freely flowering habit with             typically about 20 to 30 flowers developing per cyme and up             to 45 flowers developing per cyme in the second year of             growth; flowers facing outwardly to somewhat drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about two             months after planting; plants flower from January through             March in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two months; flowers             persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 30 cm to 40 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1             cm to 2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to N77B. Flower             diameter: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Flower depth (height): About 2             cm to 4 cm. Petals: None observed; transformed into             nectaries.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single             whorl; slightly imbricate. Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm.             Width: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to obovate. Apex:             Obtuse and occasionally emarginate. Base: Rounded. Margin:             Mostly entire and occasionally emarginate. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 69D; towards the margins, close to 71A; color does not             change with subsequent development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 69D; towards the margins,             close to 71A; color does not change with subsequent             development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 15 cm to 25 cm. Diameter: About 5             mm to 10 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146B heavily             covered with spots, close to 59A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 cm to 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 4 mm. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle axis. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 59A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 40             to 50. Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to             155A. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             color: Close to 157B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 157B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: About five to             seven. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.             Stigma color: Close to 157B. Style length: About 1.5 cm.             Style color: Close to 193C with stripes, close to 71A. Ovary             color: Close to 145A.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 15. Length:             About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape:             Funnelform. Color: Close to N144D with stripes, close to             71A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Helleborus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Helleborus     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Helleborus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘ET EPB 731’ as illustrated and described. 